BROOKLYN, N.Y.— The Long Island University women's basketball team was edged out by North Carolina Central University, 61-59 to close out the 2019 calendar year and non-conference play on Saturday afternoon.

Prior to the non-conference finale at the Steinberg Center, LIU held its senior day, honoring senior Autumn Ashe.

LIU had three scorers finish in double figures against the Eagles. Junior Jeydah Johnson recorded a season-high 18 points for the Sharks. Sophomores Kiara Bell and Brandy Thomas both registered a double-double. Thomas finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds while Bell added 10 points and a game-high 12 rebounds.

GAME BREAKDOWN
NCCU opened the game with the first three points before LIU's offense got on the scoreboard courtesy of a jumper from Thomas at 8:06 in the quarter. The Eagles continued to hold the slight lead over the next few minutes before the Sharks took hold of the lead on a 9-0 run with a pair of free throws from sophomore Tiya Misir, making it a 13-5 lead. NCCU took advantage at the free throw line to cut the lead to five for LIU, 13-9. A triple from sophomore Ryan Weise and layup from Johnson ended the quarter for the Sharks for the 18-9 lead.

LIU continued to hold the large lead for the opening minutes of the second quarter. NCCU used a five-point swing to cut in to the deficit, making it a seven-point game, 24-17. The Sharks closed out the opening half with an 11-2 stretch paced by four points from both Thomas and Weise to take a 35-19 lead.

The Eagles stormed out of the break with a 17-2 stretch in the opening five minutes of the third quarter to cut the LIU lead down to one, 37-36. NCCU continued to claw back eventually taking back the lead, 40-37 at the 2:14 mark. A three-point from Johnson at the 1:53 mark tied the game up at 40-40. After a jumper gave NCCU back the lead Johnson scored once again for the Sharks, with a pair of free throws ended the quarter to put the score at 42-42.

NCCU began the final quarter with an 8-3 run to grab a 50-45 lead at the 8:27 mark. The lead would hold from there before LIU used a 7-2 run led by five points from Johnson to cut the deficit to one, 54-53. The Eagles used a four-point spurt from there for a 58-53 advantage with 2:55 remaining. The Sharks converted at the free throw line in the next minute of play with a pair of makes from Thomas and Bell to cut the deficit to one, 58-57. NCCU grabbed three more points to take a 61-57 lead with 1:26 remaining. LIU cut the deficit to two, 61-59 on a layup from Thomas with 47 seconds remaining. The Sharks held the Eagles off the scoreboard from there. LIU had one final chance to force overtime at the free throw line in the final seconds but were unable to convert, giving the NCCU the 61-59 victory.

SHARK BITES

• Johnson tallied a season-high 18 points and tied her season-high with seven rebounds.
• Thomas registered her fourth double-double of the season, with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
• Bell picked up her second double-double of the season, finishing with 10 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. She also added a game-high four blocks on the defensive end.
• Weise dished out a team-high six assists and contributed seven points along with six rebounds.
• Sophomore Tiya also added five assists for the Sharks
• LIU won the rebounding battle against the Eagles, 55-40. 31 rebounds came on the offensive glass for the Sharks.

UP NEXT

LIU begins the new decade and Northeast conference play with a trip to Mount St. Mary's on Saturday, January 4. Tip-off between the Sharks and Mountaineers is slated for 5:00 p.m. following the men's contest in part of a doubleheader.